Good-Bye, Vanuatu? Perry-Linked Witness Predicts: If Cain Accuser Speaks, ‘Probably Be the End of His Campaign”

Posted on | November 2, 2011 | 80 Comments

Shoes are now dropping faster than I can keep track:

Oklahoma political consultant Chris Wilson says if the woman behind the reported sexual harassment complaint against GOP Presidential hopeful Herman Cain is allowed to speak publicly, it’ll be the end of Cain’s run for the White House.
Interviewed today on KTOK’s Mullins in the Morning, Wilson, of Wilson-Perkins-Allen Opinion Research headquartered in Washington, D.C. explained he was a witness to the incident. “I was the pollster at the National Restaurant Association when Herman Cain was head of it and I was around a couple of times when this happened and anyone who was involved with the NRA at the time, knew that this was gonna come up.”
Wilson described the woman as a low level staffer who was maybe two years out of college. “This occurred at a restaurant in Crystal City (Virginia) and everybody was aware of it,” he continued. “It was only a matter of time because so many people were aware of what took place, so many people were aware of her situation, the fact she left — everybody knew with the campaign that this would eventually come up.”
Wilson said for legal reasons, he can not discuss details of the incident. “But if she comes out and talks about it, like I said, it’ll probably be the end of his campaign.” The consultant said Cain is digging himself a deeper hole by challenging the woman.

The fact that Chris Wilson works for a firm that has been associated with Rick Perry’s campaign may confirm widespread suspicions about the origin of Sunday’s Politico story, but as matters now stand, such speculation is irrelevant to whether Cain can survive this. Whatever the motives of the Politico sources, Cain’s fate depends on the specifics of the accusation and the credibility of his accuser.

Question: If “many people were aware” and “everybody knew … this would eventually come up,” why did no one ever bring this story to me? I wrote my first American Spectator column about the Cain campaign on Dec. 27, 2010, and have covered the campaign longer that anyone. Yet instead of calling me — and I distribute my business card at D.C. events like a Shriner throwing candy in a parade — the sources take their story to Politico?

Perhaps they didn’t tell me about it because they don’t trust me, and why should they? My friend Tabitha Hale doesn’t think I’m worthy of inclusion in a BlogCon panel, and my friends at PJM would rather hire my enemies than ask me to be a weekly columnist there. Given how little esteem my friends evidently have for me, I can’t expect sources with exclusive information to treat me as a respected and credible journalist.

Now even my ambassadorship to Vanuatu is in jeopardy and The Lonely Conservative observes:

I’m less concerned about these allegations as I am about the bizarre way Cain and his campaign have handled the situation; not that it’s hurting him in the polls or fundraising — yet. It’s most likely due to the fact that he’s not a professional politician, but whatever he’s dealing with now is nothing compared to what Obama’s going to dish out in the general election. If he wants to survive this, he really needs to enlist the help of more professionals, and he needs to do it soon.

It’s as if she’s saying that Cain needs the service of “professionals” who understand how reporters think and how an embarrassing situation may be effectively explained. Too bad that nobody who works for the Herman Cain campaign knows anybody like that, someone experienced who might come recommended to them as a qualified adviser.

UPDATE: Yet another shoe:

A third former employee says she considered filing a workplace complaint over what she considered aggressive and unwanted behavior by Herman Cain when she worked for the presidential candidate in the 1990s. She says the behavior included a private invitation to his corporate apartment.
She worked for the National Restaurant Association when he was its head. She told The Associated Press that Cain made sexually suggestive remarks or gestures about the same time that two co-workers had settled separate harassment complaints against him.
The employee described situations in which she said Cain told her he had confided to colleagues how attractive she was and invited her to his corporate apartment outside work.

My advice to the Cain campaign? Start praying. Pray real hard.

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Category: Election 2012, Herman Cain, Vanuatu

Comments

80 Responses to “Good-Bye, Vanuatu? Perry-Linked Witness Predicts: If Cain Accuser Speaks, ‘Probably Be the End of His Campaign””

More Financial Scandal, Plus . . . Should The Conservatory Back-Burner Cain Allegations?
November 2nd, 2011 @ 5:55 pm

[…] of unsubstantiated speculation. That said, Cain’s campaign and the news cycle are going to be engulfed in this voracious cycle for some […]
Dan Collins
November 2nd, 2011 @ 5:58 pm

Perry did volunteer at some point that he was fully vetted and that there wasn’t anything in his past that would embarrass his supporters. That said, it’s not a matter of who let the dogs out, but survival for Cain’s campaign, right now. He’s apparently headed out to meet with DeMint at an undisclosed location, as we speak.
Mortimer Snerd
November 2nd, 2011 @ 5:59 pm

Reminds me of the early days of Monday Night Football. When the game got out of hand, Don Meredith would sing, “Turn out the lights, the party’s over.” I think Herman’s party may be over.
Anonymous
November 2nd, 2011 @ 5:59 pm

Stacy asks: Who do you have working on Cain’s advisory committee?

Answer: Top. People.

You know Stacy, the way you put this together, it almost seems as if someone is selling the Cain storefront a little “fire insurance.”

“This is a nice campaign you have going here. It’d be a shame if something were to happen to it. You need to hire some of our people.”
Finrod Felagund
November 2nd, 2011 @ 6:00 pm

Countless people have gone into the poorhouse betting on ‘probably’. I’ll believe it when I see it.
Dianna Deeley
November 2nd, 2011 @ 6:11 pm

Really? What we have here is a case in which, so far as I am able to determine, the one accusation involves a physical gesture that was not sexually explicit, and an out of the blue accusation that the woman never filed a complaint over.

Why is this any concern? Why would this end Cain’s campaign? Aside, of course, from amateur hour by the campaign?

Can we go back to discussing the economy and plans for tax reform? Oh, and how about some foreign policy, while we’re at it?
Witness to Alleged Cain Harassment Comes Forward, Can’t Give Details | The Lonely Conservative
November 2nd, 2011 @ 6:14 pm

[…] there is now a third accuser who is giving more details, but remains anonymous.Update 2: I think I know just the person who can help the campaign. google_ad_client = "ca-pub-1395656889568144"; /* 300×250, created […]
steve benton
November 2nd, 2011 @ 6:17 pm

It’s over for Cain. For the next two to three weeks, we won’t be talking about Obama and his destructive policies- we’ll be discussing Cain’s “harassment”.
ThePaganTemple
November 2nd, 2011 @ 6:25 pm

Now damn it Stacy, ask yourself, if you had damaging information on a politician, who would you give it to first, somebody you knew would gladly publish it and shout it to the heavens, or somebody you had good reason to believe might, just might, go out of their way to bury it or at best give a heads up to the candidate so he would have time to have a ready-made excuse. You have made it plain you are a Cain supporter, one of his earliest and most persistent. Of course they’re not going to go to you first.
Steve in TN
November 2nd, 2011 @ 6:27 pm

As much as I thought Cain was an idea poor suit vapidly repeating monotonous sound bytes, I never wished anything like this upon him or the GOP.
Zilla of the Resistance
November 2nd, 2011 @ 6:28 pm

I do completely agree that Herman needs to hire some people who are not clueless and incompetent to handle the piranha press, and I do believe that Robert Stacy McCain would indeed be the best man for the job. I like Herman Cain, but his people really need to pull their heads from their asses, they are making what should have been a blip of nothing into a huge fustercluck. It really is getting embarrassing to watch. I wonder if his handlers aren’t actually saboteurs working covertly on behalf of his opposition.
Joe
November 2nd, 2011 @ 6:29 pm

http://www.forbes.com/sites/richardminiter/2011/11/02/herman-cain-sexual-harassment-leak/

The Cain Campaign is saying Perry is behind the leak?

Somewhere Mitt Romney is smiling.

So is Obama.
Charles
November 2nd, 2011 @ 6:32 pm

For example, telling reporters asking questions, “What part of ‘no’ don’t people understand?” might not be the best way to handle this particular story.
Shawn Gillogly
November 2nd, 2011 @ 6:33 pm

I doubt it, honestly. If anything, to this point, it’s hardened the lines. I’m with RSM on this, so far. The whole thing sounds far too ‘manufactured.’

The only thing Perry has right now it $$. Why not use it to lob a bomb at the campaign that’s taking the votes he is ‘entitled’ to and then he can ride to the rescue.

Unfortunately for him, this has officially shoved Perry into the Huntsman/Romney camp of “Those for whom I will not pull a lever with a gun to my head.”
Shawn Gillogly
November 2nd, 2011 @ 6:44 pm

Just a thought: What would Romney and Perry both agree needs to happen? Probably even more than beating Obama? “Destroy Herman Cain” perhaps?

Who does the current head of the Nat’l Res. Assoc support? http://northernvirginialawyer.blogspot.com/2011/11/former-president-of-national-restaurant.html?showComment=1320184749221&fb_source=message

Could a Romney surrogate have given this to Perry’s campaign to run with? hmmm… by the way, this doesn’t have to be a ‘conspiracy’ between them. This could be a nice ‘tip’ from a surrogate to Perry, who’s desperate enough to try ANYTHING right now.

And it ties in nicely with that little Arizona memo about “Wait until we release what we have on Cain” too.

Too convenient.
Anonymous
November 2nd, 2011 @ 6:49 pm

I liked it.
Jorge Emilio Emrys Landivar
November 2nd, 2011 @ 6:54 pm

Does this mean its gingrich’s turn?
Joe
November 2nd, 2011 @ 6:55 pm

So Mark Block accuses Perry Campaign of attacking Herman and now he is apologizing? This is not going well right now for Team Herman. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/11/02/cain_chief_of_staff_calls_on_perry_campaign_politico_to_apologize.html
Joe
November 2nd, 2011 @ 7:10 pm

I would think Team Cain needs to take a deep breath and respond calmly after they have more information. Flailing around is not a good think right now.

If it is like Herman says, he will survive this. It might even make him stronger. If there is seriously truth to these accusations…well that is a different matter. I am still assuming that there is not serious truth to these accusations.
Anonymous
November 2nd, 2011 @ 7:14 pm

“Aside, of course, from amateur hour by the campaign?”

Amateur hour has stretched into amateur weeks, maybe amateur months now. At some point. you take notice.

This particular thing might or might not have been a disaster if properly handled, depending on the specifics that we haven’t heard yet and whether or not those specifics seem credible.

But it wasn’t properly handled. Cain’s constantly shifting story makes him seem … well … shifty. And that’s nobody’s fault but his.
DaveO
November 2nd, 2011 @ 7:16 pm

I heard Wilson’s sound bite on KTOK this afternoon. Only question in my mind: money. As in how is Wilson going to get now that he’s secured the go-to pollster job in Oklahoma? And, why isn’t RSM spreading the cash.

Loyalty and sources aren’t bought, they’re rented. By the hour.
Joe
November 2nd, 2011 @ 7:17 pm

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/post/cains-noxious-racial-politics/2011/11/01/gIQAbIQ8dM_blog.html

Why do Republicans and Conservatives think Jen Rubin is on our side? Why is Hermain Cain reprehensible for saying the left uses race in a way the right does not?
Mike
November 2nd, 2011 @ 7:26 pm

Vanuatu will still be around…and President Romney will need a representative there…or perhaps an administrator for the Northern Marianas/Marshall Islands. If you’re not careful…St. Helena is always eating. There’s still time for you to be someone other than Hagerstown’s most famous blogger….so we’ll hit the friggin tip jar.
Anonymous
November 2nd, 2011 @ 7:29 pm

So Wilson is essentially saying, “Well, I sure don’t want to get into details because of legal concerns, but here’s some details. Oh, and here’s some speculative editorializing, too, just for fun.”

Salt of the earth guy, and what integrity! It’s good to know we have such upstanding political infrastructure to maintain our fine democracy.
Adjoran
November 2nd, 2011 @ 7:34 pm

They didn’t come to you with accusations against Cain because you were seen as in the tank for Cain. You would be the LAST site they would call with dirt on him.

But now it is three employees at NRA, with an independent witness and apparently other witnesses who haven’t spoken up yet, PLUS the staffers for a conservative Iowa radio host.

And Cain is now blaming Perry because a Perry staffer used to work for Cain in his 2004 Senate race and, Cain claims, was briefed on the potential the settlement would come out. Which contradicts Cain’s claims he knew of no settlement or didn’t remember details from “12 years ago” – but the man in question says he knew nothing about any of it until the Politico story.

Besides, wasn’t the lynch mob going to hang Romney over this the other day? But if the allegations have something to them, as they seem to, it doesn’t matter anyway, does it? If it’s true, it’s not a smear to bring it up.

Cain’s done. Stick a fork in him. I predict he won’t win a single delegate outside Iowa, and too few there to make a splash.

Of course the real message for Cain is: “See, you should have been a Democrat. Then you could rape and kill women at will and use their bone splinters as toothpicks, and you’d still be golden – and if you were pro-abortion on top of it, add in the free hummers.”
Anonymous
November 2nd, 2011 @ 7:38 pm

Having seen the mud slung in his last campaign for governor, I have to agree he’s been vetted. I’m guessing that the Romneybots are discounting the fact that Cain’s successor at NRA is a Romney donor, and he was in a position to know about all incidents.
CalMark
November 2nd, 2011 @ 7:42 pm

Suddenly, all of these people are coming out of the woodwork to denounce Herman Cain.

A woman who wasn’t comfortable filing a sexual harassment complaint in the witch-hunt ’90s? Gimme a break.

This smells of takedown job. Lies, innuendo, feelings, after-the-fact (like, decades) realizations. All surfacing just as Cain is starting to take off and just in time for the November 8 debate.

As for his “amateurish” campaign. Yeah, like all the professional politicians have done such a great job until now. A bunch of plastic, blow-dried people with neither morals nor scruples.

I’m damn sick of it. I want my country back.
Fourth Former Employee
November 2nd, 2011 @ 7:44 pm

“A third former employee says she considered filing a workplace complaint
over what she considered aggressive and unwanted behavior by Herman
Cain when she worked for the presidential candidate in the 1990s…”

Oh, yeah. I remember that but differently than her. See, as I recall, she propositioned Mr. Cain and then, when rebuffed, turn her affections to me. Well, I was repulsed by her indiscretion and flippancy. When she offered me money, I said, “I’m happily married, Ho!” I think I said, “Ho!”. Hard to remember with all the heavy drinking going on. Anyway, she was a real scrunt, so I considered filing a complaint about the hostile workplace environment with her as prime example. I thought better about it because I’d have been punishing the company for the abhorrent behavior of an employee. Anyway, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. And if she decides to run for public office, I’ll have my fifteen minutes of fame and a chance to parlay that into some politically expedient scratch.
Zooropa
November 2nd, 2011 @ 7:48 pm

For the last year most of the big site conservative bloggers steadfastly refused to offer support to Sarah Palin because, in their oh so learned opinions, she was too damaged by the media to have a chance of winning. They ignored the rebuttal that Palin had taken everything the media had to throw at her and she was still standing and had nowhere to go but up.  NO, they said, there are other conservative candidates who are not damaged by the media who we shall support, not her. Again, they ignored the rebuttal that the media will attack those candidates as ferociously as they attacked Palin only we don’t know what dirt they will dig up or how those candidates will react to the inquisition. NO, they knew best. Palin could not win, they said, and that was that.

So, here we are a year out from the election with Palin on the sidelines and we watch as the media picks off the conservative candidates one by one.   Pretty soon we will be down to the candidate the media and the Dems want – Romney. Way to go boys. You did exactly what they wanted. Congrats!

Now, I know that Stacy McCain remained a Palin advocate but he made it clear that she was only his second choice behind Cain.  Much worse were Allahpundit, Ace (of Spades) and (Red State) Erick who played right into the Dems hands by doing all they could to discredit Palin among their conservative followers and they need to be taken to task for it.
richard mcenroe
November 2nd, 2011 @ 7:51 pm

Wow, Herman Cain allegedly hits on three women at “roughly the same time” and not a tickle before or since. Weirdest damn serial sex harrasser I ever heard of.
richard mcenroe
November 2nd, 2011 @ 7:53 pm

I’m less embarrassed by Cain’s staff at this point than I am by the stampede of the panicked herd of conservative bloggers. Pathetic. Probably a big part of why Palin pulled out; she realized what weak and inconstant reeds they were.
andycanuck
November 2nd, 2011 @ 7:58 pm

And from Hot Air’s “Third Women” thread a new claim, “New from Politico, Iowa radio host Steve Deace says Cain said inappropriate things to two of his staffers too:”

I didn’t bother with the Politico link (unlike conservative bloggers I don’t get donations for reading crap) but it sounds like Cain complimented them on being pretty but HA’s pull-quote doesn’t include a direct Deace quote quoting exactly what Cain allegedly said.
Shawn Gillogly
November 2nd, 2011 @ 7:58 pm

Did I say something wrong earlier, or are comments disappearing into the ether lately?
Joe
November 2nd, 2011 @ 8:09 pm

Why Jen Rubin is finally dead to me: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/post/cains-noxious-racial-politics/2011/11/01/gIQAbIQ8dM_blog.html

Hannity played a clip of attacks of Herman Cain from the last few months to Juan Williams, and Williams said he was horrified by how the press treats black conservatives. And Jen Rubin says Cain is reprehensible for bring up race when the attacks come at him? Why? There is a racial double standard and conservatives are ALWAYS on the receiving end of being accused racists. And if Jen Rubin can’t admit that…well then she is stupid or dishonest.
richard mcenroe
November 2nd, 2011 @ 8:14 pm

Wilson is also an associate of Karl Rove. Take a deep breath and reinflate a pair, Stacy; NO ONE has brought forth one material fact yet, even the alleged ‘witnesses’ and ‘victims’ not covered by the Confidentiality Agreement. We expect better from you.

This is the slimiest kind of character assassination by gossip and it is disgusting the way the right side of the blogosphere is folding up before it. Kurt Schlicter gets it.

Notice neither of the other campaigns rushed to condemn Politico or its supporters for this disgraceful display. Whether or not they started it, they were happy to profit by it. Screw ’em if it bites them in the ass.

The saddest thing of all is what this tells us about the state of the GOP, that we’ve ALL been thinking — and realistically — what the Cain campaign is now accusing the others of.
Minute Sixteen and Counting « The Cranky Conservative
November 2nd, 2011 @ 8:15 pm

[…] a blind eye to Cain’s collapsing campaign. Even his biggest booster in the blogosphere is starting to sound a little worried. The fact that Chris Wilson works for a firm that has been associated with Rick […]
Adjoran
November 2nd, 2011 @ 8:17 pm

We’re up to three women from NRA, at least one independent witness to an incident who put his name on it, probably others, plus the female-bodied persons working for an Iowa conservative radio host.

Stick a fork in Cain. He’s done. With a 10-day head start, THIS is how they handled it? Sorry, I’m not giving this gang a chance to have to react to an international crisis. Neither is anyone else.
richard mcenroe
November 2nd, 2011 @ 8:22 pm

MUTHA EFFIN DISQUS? WHERE ARE THE OTHER 22 COMMENTS?!
Anonymous
November 2nd, 2011 @ 8:25 pm

Reselect the “Sort by” dropdown option. It’ll bring the comments back up. Not perfect, but better than dead pixels.
Anonymous
November 2nd, 2011 @ 8:27 pm

I demand that you take that back! She can be both!
Bob Belvedere
November 2nd, 2011 @ 8:29 pm

This ain’t looking good, dammit.
Anonymous
November 2nd, 2011 @ 8:30 pm

This controversy pales in comparison to the scandals around Obama (land deals, weather underground, dope smoking….admittedly…the media wasn’t pushing them too hard…but to date…it is comparable to Cain), GWB (entire 1st half of adulthood was a scandal…boozing, partying, DUIing, and who knows what else), and Clinton (too much to go through).

Just gotta tough through it. He is going to continue to poll high…even if he takes a hit next week.

He just has to control his staff and keep them on message and keep doing what he has been doing (sans asking women to his condo…lol).

If he can replicate his performance on Monday during next week’s debate…he will be President…if not…Obama will.
Anonymous
November 2nd, 2011 @ 8:34 pm

OK, Disqus is playing with my naughty bits. That was a response to this.
William_Teach
November 2nd, 2011 @ 8:36 pm

On another note, if it is found that Camp Perry leaked this information, whether true or not, it should end Perry’s candidacy. The last thing we need is a guy who completely sells out a fellow Republican/Conservative in this manner.

And, yeah, I am no Perry fan. From the minute he jumped in, the race turned nasty amongst the Republicans. A good chunk of the focus became negative, and less on Obama and the Democrats and their destructive policies. I’m at a point where I’d rather have Huntsman than Perry.
Anonymous
November 2nd, 2011 @ 8:53 pm

He should have stabbed David Gregory in the eye with a pen when he had the chance.
Anonymous
November 2nd, 2011 @ 9:01 pm

Unless something substantive comes out this wont last another two weeks. The third shoe as it were is someone who was really, really upset but not upset enough to make anything of it at the time.
Kerry Jacoby
November 2nd, 2011 @ 9:03 pm

I’m telling you, look for the fingerprints of Planned Parenthood……
Info
November 2nd, 2011 @ 9:05 pm

I wouldn’t sweat the whole Vanuatu ambassadorship.

If the FSO who had been pining and kissing ass for years to get that assignment didn’t kill you, you probably would’ve caused the formation of AQIV.

…Too soon?

But seriously, I’m busy with three kids all day, but I’m with DD. Except as Inside the Beltway tempest in a teacup, how is this going to kill his campaign except in some wierd Macaca way? Am I missing something? I count two “it’s harassment because I was offended” accusations and one woman who didn’t even file charges or bother collecting go-away money?

I would be a lot more concerned if it was a week before the convention, with Cain having a majority of the delegates sewn up.

But there is one thing we have learned in the last three years. If we are not storing our nuclear secrets in the Columbia University Registrar’s office, app. we should be.
Daily Pundit » Cui Bono?
November 2nd, 2011 @ 9:11 pm

[…] Good-Bye, Vanuatu? Perry-Linked Witness Predicts: If Cain Accuser Speaks, ‘Probably Be the End of … My advice to the Cain campaign? Start praying. Pray real hard. […]
Anonymous
November 2nd, 2011 @ 9:32 pm

LOL…

Unfortunately, nobody is perfect. If the allegations are 100% true (which they aren’t…but there probably is some level of truth), it still does not change the fact that Cain is the GOP’s best hope.

If the stories are 100% true (which they obviously are not, if Perry campaign operatives are denying conversations they had with Cain) the totality of the story is that Cain made several women uncomfortable by calling them pretty. He may have once…maybe even TWICE! engaged in non-PC conversation during a dinner conversation. He also may have asked a woman or two up to his condo. That is it.

I can deal with that.